The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-04-06
Advance PAYMENT.

We presume that there are some sub
scribers who are not altogether pleased with
our purpose to put the WATCHMAN subscrip-
ton list upon the advance-pay plan though
we have not heard from any such since we
began the publication Of the announcement.
On the other hand, large number who
have settled arrearages and renewed their
subscriptions have assured us of their hearty
communication of the proposed change; and
here in Montpelier where the WATCHMAN
has a large list, the greater number have
already paid all dues and renewed for
another year So that we are now satisfied
that a large majority Of our subscribers
propose to stand by the WATCHMAN in its
:" new departure" The Middlebury Regis.
ter having announced that it would adopt
the advance-pay plan April LIST, was favored
with the following communication from Mr..
Justus Cobb, a veteran editor and publisher
of Addison county, and as what Mr.. Cobb
says is as applicable to this region as to any
other, we give his letter entire:
"Editor Register Il notice an announce
ment in your paper that you intend to adopt
the pay-in- advance system for the Rcgister
after the LIST of April next. For long years
the system of pay-as-you-please and when
you-please has been carried on in Middle
bury, until the losses i'm the aggregate, if
put together, would perfectly astonish every
reader The printing expenses are made
up of rents, paper, labor, ink. wear and
tear of tools and machinery, taxes etc, for
which cash must in large part, be paid
weekly-saying nothing about the drudgery
and constant care of the editorial labor of
well-ConduCted country newspaper. My
long experience as a printer, publisher and
editor in this county has convinced me that
the pay-in-advance system is the only
method that can be devised that will be
equitable and fair to both the publisher and
subscriber. Although, perhaps the citizens
of Addison county are as able and prompt
to pay as any in the state of Vermont or
any other state, yet with all the gentle re-
mnders to subscribers, which are most
carefully worded, so as not to give offence
such as Money wanted at this office We
have good many subscribers upon our
books that owe for the paper for two or
three years. 9 Pay the printer etc. the
publisher, under the old pay-when-you-
please system, finds his pocket empty. The
old system has been continued from year to
year ever since the first publication was
started in this town, and now the shores of
the river of time are strewn with wrecks of
disappointed hopes of publishers, after a
desperate struggle with blasted hopes
brought about mainly by OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ments and no-payments-at-all. / am aware
that there is a kind of friendly relationship
that springs up between the publisher and
subscriber, which causes him to delay strik-
ing his name from the list, hoping that the
more convenient season for the subscriber
will surely come soon Another reason is
llldb Iut uepllpeHls Wtll-JO-uO SuDSCTlDeT,
whose name is dropped, is very apt to
straighten up and inquire if he is not good
for two or three dollars? The result with
the Publisher would be the same if he was
good and did not pay. In either case the
printer would be minus his just dues, and
go stumbling along in darkness, grasping
for financial substance but, alas finding
them to be Elusive shadows.
Yours truly, JUsTUs COBB"
"AND now the VERMONT WATCHMAN
gives notice that on the LIST day of May it
will adopt the advance-pay system. That
is good and if the publisher has the cour-
age to stick he will win. Woodstock Stand
ard. The publisher will Stick
"THE MONTPELIER WATcHMAN adopts
the cash-in-advance system on May 1st.
1t is the only true way to run a paper, and
we hope to get there some day ourselves. -
Springfield Reporter.
"THE WATCHMAN at Montpelier says it
will go on the cash-in-advance system after
May 1st. As this plan will be by great odds
the best for both publishers and subscrib-
ers, why cannot all the papers in Vermont
enter an agreement to enforce the rule, say
from July next?''-St. Adams Sentry.